Bhubaneswar: Saheed Nagar Police in Bhubaneswar have arrested 41-year-old news editor and owner of Sahara Times newspaper, Susant Kumar Sahoo, in connection with a case involving alleged extortion, criminal intimidation, and defamation.
Sahoo was taken into custody on Monday. He has been booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS): 296, 351(2), 351(3), 308(3), and 356(2) on the basis of a complaint filed by the coordinator of the Media Cell at Utkal University.
According to a police release, Sahoo approached the university’s Vice-Chancellor seeking the release of official advertisements for his newspaper. When informed that advertisements could only be issued as per the prescribed government procedure, he allegedly began making repeated phone calls and threatened to publish defamatory content if his demands were not met. On July 23, Sahoo published a false and defamatory news report targeting the Vice-Chancellor in Sahara Times, with the alleged intention of pressuring the university into releasing the advertisements and damaging her reputation.
During the investigation, police seized relevant documents and electronic evidence. “Sahoo was arrested following due legal procedure and was produced before the court. Further investigation is ongoing,” the release added.